Game apparatus.



G. W. BUGBEE.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1912.

51 551 Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

A TTORNEY.

COLUMBIA PLANocRAPn 60.,WASNING1ON, D. C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN W. BUGBEE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MILTON BRADLEY COMPANYfOF SPRINGFIELD, LIASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN W. BUGBEE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game board apparatus for any number ofplayers. Some of the details of the game are not new.

The invention resides in the combination of the details in a new anduseful manner.

The apparatus embodies a series of stands arranged around a centralstand through which and the game board a string passes. This string hason one end a handle by which it is pulled through the central stand.Above said stand are a series of beads or ball members which are strungon the string in order that as said string is pulled and released theball members may be made to take a vertical position and then falltherefrom to hit one or more of the series of stands. This series ispreferably arranged in a circular path around the central stand andcomprises pairs of cup-shaped stands, each pair being of adistinguishing color which will differ from the color of any other pairin the series. Each pair of stands has for cooperation therewith twoballs of a color corresponding to that pair of stands. Then these ballsare placed on their respective stands and the string carrying the beadmembers is tightened and then loosened the series of bead members orballs strung thereon will first be elevated and then fall against theballs on the stands and knock one or more of them off.

It is not old to provide an amusement device comprising the series ofball members which are movable into a vertical position by tightening astring as shown in the drawings, but it is considered new to so arrangesaid series of ball members on a string in combination with the circularseries of stands and their associated members in order to play the gamewhich is hereinafter described.

In the figure the game board is shown in perspective with all itsessential features clearly indicated.

In order to play the game in which any number of players may start, itshould first Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 21. 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Serial No. 704,970.

be determined how many rounds will be played. Each player has only oneturn and a round is played when each player has had his turn. By a turnis meant an operation by a player of the string 6 until he has knockedoff of the stands 70 two balls of a like color. Each player holds thegame board with one hand and grasps the handle f with the other. Thestring 6 attached to the handle f passes through the central stand 9 andhas the balls h thereon, as indicated. The player suddenly tightens thestring 6 whereupon the balls h will assume a vertical position on thestand g. It is then best for the player to allow plenty of slack in thestring in order that the balls 2 may fall and knock one or the other ofthe balls comprising the colored pairs 0, a, b or (Z from theirrespective stands. It is necessary for each player to operate the string6 until he has knocked oflf of the stands 7r two balls of a like colorkeeping tally in the meantime of the number of other balls knocked offin attempting to knock two of a like color off their stands. After thelatter is accomplished the next player takes his turn and repeats theoperations. When the required number of rounds has been played, thatplayer who has knocked the least total number of balls off in thatnumber of rounds wins the game.

The series of balls on the central stand is called the wig-wag which isalso the name of the game. This wig-wag will operate best if the playerdraws the string tight rapidly and loosens it to a considerable extent.There is a great element of chance in the game and thus it will beuncertain to the end which player is going to win.

The arrangement shown is the preferred one. The stands however can bearranged in different ways than the one shown while the generalcharacter of the apparatus would remain the same.

What I claim, is:

1. In a game of the class described a game board, a series of playingmembers, means for mounting said members in un stable equilibrium andmeans for knocking said playing members from their mounting comprising astand, a series of bodies, a, string passing through said stand and saidseries of bodies having one end connected with the outermost body andthe other end extending to the edge of the game board whereby when thestring is pulled and released said bodies Will be pulled to a verticalposit-ion above the stand and then fall to knock off the playing membersas described.

2. In a game of the class described a game board, a series of pairs ofballs, each pair having a common designation, cup stands in said boardon Which the balls may be mount ed in a position from Which they can beknocked off easily together with means for knocking 05 the ballscomprising a series of bead members on a string, a central stand in thegame board on which the bead members may be supported, a string passingthrough the central stand and the beads and extending from below thegame board whereby when said string is pulled and released the beadsWill stand up and then fall to knock the balls from the cup stands asdescribed.

3. In a game of the class described a game board, a central stand and aseries of other stands arranged in a circle around said central stand, aseries of bead members on a string passing through the central standadapted to be supported in perpendicular position on the stand When thestring is pulled and fall from said position when the string isslackened together With a series of balls adapted to be placed on saidcircularly arranged stands and knocked therefrom on being hit by thefalling bead members.

GLENN W. BUGBEE.

Witnesses:

HELEN S. JEFFERY, MABEL BoWERs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

